“You—hands off her! Put them up in the air!”
“No!” shrieked Scarlett. “He isn’t the one who caused this.”
Releasing Scarlett, Brayden put his hands up. “It’ll be okay, sweetheart,” he said. “They’re only doing their jobs.”
“You’re under arrest for assault with deadly magic,” said one of the officers. “Face down on the groundnow.”
The pavement was wet from the rain, but Brayden did as they said. The officers wrenched his hands behind his back and pushed his face into the concrete as they cuffed him.
“This is outrageous,” said Scarlett. “We were attacked in the lobby. My bodyguard was tasered, and they were trying to abduct us. My husband saved us. Don’tarresthim.” She kneeled next to Brayden, hovering over him. Hearing him scream her name just before he burst into flames—he’d have killed them all for her. He was hers, and she was his, and they couldn’t take him from her.
“Detectives will be along shortly to bring in witnesses for statements. Getoutof the way, unless you want us to arrest you too,” said an officer. He took her roughly by the arm and pulled her away from Brayden. Cass caught her and helped her stand.
“You’re supposed to protect people, not arrest the victim!” she yelled, but they ignored her, hauling Brayden upright and walking him toward a police car.
Scarlett and Cass followed.
“I’ll hire a lawyer! I promise.” Scarlett’s voice shook as shetried to force her way closer to Brayden. A photographer’s camera flashed, but she ignored it.
“Get in touch with my father,” said Brayden over his shoulder. “Don’t leave Cass’s side.”
“Quiet,” said one of the officers as they pushed his head down into the back of the car.
“We’ll follow you to the station. I love you!”
Scarlett’s words were cut off as the officer slammed the door shut. She stood on the curb staring at the car carrying Brayden away as the rain poured.
People were talking, but she stared straight ahead, unhearing.
He fought for me, and I’ll fight for him until he’s free.
CHAPTER
THIRTY-ONE
At the station, an officer took Scarlett and Cass to a windowless room that held nothing but a table and a few chairs, and after asking if they had any immediate needs, he left her and Cass alone.
Who had been behind the attack? Could it have been a new enemy or were Moira and Laylani behind it all? Forcing herself not to jump to conclusions, Scarlett tried to imagine why Moira might have had her attacked in public. Or why someone else might have. All she could think was that doing it at the theater exposed Brayden. Otherwise, why wouldn’t the person responsible have ordered the hit in a more private location? She prayed the men who attacked her wouldn’t turn out to be from Sigur Viður. She hadn’t clocked an accent, but things had been moving so quickly it was hard to be sure.
Scarlett was sure of one thing: She would obliterate everyone involved. She’d rain legal and physical pain down on all of them with all the means available to her. Visions of Lachlan using his specter powers to slip into their cells and end them spiked a dark excitement.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you look freaking terrifying right now,” murmured Cass. “If you’d like myresignation, I understand. I can’t believe how quickly they incapacitated me.”
Fantasies of revenge faded from her mind, and Scarlett grasped Cass’s hand. No part of her resented or doubted her. “I was thinking I want to find who’s responsible for tonight and make them pay. You took a Taser for me—I’m not mad atyou.Pleasedon’t resign. I need you more than ever right now. As for what happened, it was five men, completely out of the blue, and they had that rope with the balls they threw at you.”
“Yeah, that was a new one for me. I assumed shooting one would be enough, but…” Cass shook her head. “He was up so fast—they must’ve had bulletproof gear on.”
Scarlett flashed back to the sight of Cass passed out on the floor. “Are you okay? They tased you till you passed out, didn’t they?”
“I’ll be fine. I’ll see a doctor tomorrow.” Cass rubbed her abdomen in the spot where the Taser prongs had touched her.
Scarlett started to shake—from shock or cold or both. “Goddess knows how long Brayden will be locked away. I need to contact his father.” She craved Lachlan’s solid, capable presence, but she also feared what he’d do. If he extradited Brayden, what would that mean for them?
“Call Beni when you get your phone back. He can get in touch—”
The door opened, and a plainclothes officer stepped into the room. “Sorry to keep you waiting. I’m Officer Geruda. I’m the lead on the investigation involving your husband.”
“I’m Lady Scarlett Heroux.”
